1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to improvements in systems and methods for organizing search criteria matches, and, more particularly, to a new and improved system and method for defining and grouping search criteria matches on the basis of the relative emphasis or de-emphasis of such matches, for presentation to the user, wherein the search criteria matches are generated by processing search criteria established and submitted by a user through a search engine adapted to generate databases for the system.
2. General Background and State of the Art
It has been known to provide an interactive environment for viewing, browsing, searching, finding, accessing, and obtaining content and/or information, through client-server networks including computers and the Internet. Such systems present information to a user where the user has varying degrees of interest in the information, which may or may not change based on context and/or time.
However, while desired information exists, it is hard to isolate, due to an ever expanding realm of human knowledge. For any given context, desired information may be lost in a huge body of irrelevant information. Searching this vast collection of knowledge is a significant problem.
Further, it has been known to provide currently available search mechanisms which enable the user to conduct searches. These technologies vary in capability ranging from being of little use to being highly effective.
For many users, however, these method and technologies do not provide satisfactory results. Their operation is cryptic and/or cumbersome, and therefore not easily implemented by many people.
On the one hand, fundamental user control over the search process is currently relatively simple but not very effective, in that the user may conduct a simple search but still be unable to find the desired information which may be lost in the unwanted information located, or may not be found at all. On the other hand, advanced control is successfully used by a very few, since its interface requires terse and cryptic syntax, unforgiving methodologies, and obscure nomenclature, as in boolean operators for example.
One of the most significant problems with this searching process is that although the user knows what he wants to find, expressing this desire to a search mechanism requires an unnatural exact syntax and terminology to generate desirable results. Search mechanisms presently do precisely what the user says, rather than what the user means. If search mechanisms were capable of interpreting the user input, including all contextual factors regarding the user and the query, they might be able to do what the user means, yielding much more satisfactory results.
Another aspect of user frustration regarding any search activity concerns not knowing what the system is doing. Pressing a button can still leave the user wondering whether the system understood the request. This type of frustration has a significant impact on the overall effectiveness of any system including a search system.
Indices are presently used by many search services. These attempt to organize information in a way that allows users to find what they are looking for with greater ease.
Search engines are also employed by many services. These allow the user to specify a search “parameter”. The search engine then interprets this parameter and presents the user with its results. These results are presented in an ordered list and, in some cases, are categorized in some fashion. Many times, however, the system will do what the user said, rather than to present what the user really wants. The system will show a large superset of possibilities, overwhelming the user with information overload. In such cases, the user must examine a list of results in order to find what is being looked for.
Search technologies are making advances presently in interpreting user input and seeking to derive true user intent. One approach involves the formation of question databases allowing the user to specify a question and obtain possible answers. Some technologies attempt to interpret queries using a variety of schemes to process user input. The presentation of output, however, is still restricted to lists. In addition, the scope of this technology is limited to the subjects contained within their respective databases.
Therefore, those concerned with the development and use of improved search criteria matches organizing systems and methods and the like have recognized the need for improved systems and methods for interpreting user input, deriving and applying user intent, and presenting output in an efficient and effective manner.
Accordingly, the present invention fulfills these needs by providing efficient and effective systems and methods for providing a responsive interactive environment that does not make assumptions regarding what the user desires. Rather, they leverage off of the familiar, and provide the user with an effective means for indicating what they really want through an intuitive refinement of the search query submission. The system enhances any information generated in a search by identifying, ranking, and/or sorting such information for the user. It controls the presentation of any collection of content and data based on results passed to it from its current sources in addition to user direction. The sources can be anything capable of providing data, including but not limited to search engines. Combining these techniques and applying them efficiently creates an effective method for finding information.